What does this look like, Knotts Berry Farm? Do you think I run the Chicken Dinner Restaurant here or something?
Yesterday one of my chicks was missing. That brought me down to four. How did I get down to five, you ask? Well, seems I had a dog that thought chicken dinner sounded good. I found Tait with three chicks laying at her side and the fourth in her mouth. Not good.
I moved the chicks in with the rabbits. I had just given away most of my laying hens, so everyone was bunking together. Yesterday morning I got up to find one of my chicks with a feather in his mouth. I counted heads…1, 2, 3, 4…where was five? Oh, there’s 5…he’s on top of the hen house, dead.
So I’ve got a predator. A raccoon, from the looks of it. They tend to only eat until their dinner is dead. Disgusting, eh? I don’t see where he got in, and forget the mental note I made regarding having City Boy come out to take a look. A forgetful moment I regret this morning, as three more chicks are missing. Obviously, the predators have mistaken me for a fast food chicken joint…
On my way out I spotted a hawk. We’ve had hawk problems in the past, but it’s been awhile. The last one that made it’s way into the chicken coop regretted it. He couldn’t figure out how he got in, and neither could we, to be honest, but watching him try to get out proved to be quite entertaining!
From the looks of things, Darling’s not the only vampire around here!
What is it with hawks and chickens? If ‘you’re’ bird were just a bit bigger, I’d think ‘mine’ had finally left…. But nope, he’s still out there stealing my birds…
Had a hawk once to grab a small kitten. Wasn’t a pruty site, let me tell ya. Hope you and yours have a blessed day.
Laura
Dang hawks! Frustrating world of nature.
If you look over at SL you’ll see what proved to be our solution. (for awhile, anyway)
I offered “him” for you there.
Poor chicks.
We get some big huge hawks that winter over here in our valley – and they have all arrived. When I drive down the road they sit on the telephone poles and stare….I’m glad I don’t have any little animals.
My step-mother has a shit-zu and when she walks the dog (up near Lummi Bay) she has to be outside with it so a Bald Eagle doesn’t swoop down and take her!
Last spring when the live oak trees lost their leaves, we had a pair of redtails rading a squirrel nest in a tree at the front of out house. We were routing for the hawks. We have plenty of squirrels here.
The pic of the hawk hanging upside down in great. Urban areas are usually happy to have hawks around to help with the pigeon population. I wish they would develop a taste for grackles.